TV weatherman Al Roker smiles as he works out with the Yankees. / Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

by Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

by Ted Berg, USA TODAY Sports

TAMPA, Fl. -- With Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira all set to start the season on the disabled list, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is exhausting every possible angle for offensive help in their stead. Cashman told reporters Monday that he reached out to first baseman Derrek Lee and was interested in retired Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.

And in the Yankees' most unconventional attempt yet to bolster their ailing lineup, third baseman/weatherman Al Roker threw in front of club officials on Monday.

Roker, a non-roster invitee, was issued jersey No. 98 -- never a good sign for a player's hopes to crack the opening day roster. And like many of the Yankees, Roker's probably a bit past his prime at 58. Plus, Roker has a history of knee problems and was known to struggle with his conditioning before 2002 gastric bypass surgery.

Still, Roker could prove a stabilizing force in the Yankee lineup. And though scouts presumably question his range in the field, he has shown an impressive ability to identify and point at moving weather patterns on a radar, an indication of strong hand-eye coordination. Also, though Roker recently admitted he "pooped his pants" in the White House, his bowel control is thought to be at least as strong as Chan Ho Park's, and his arm at least as good as Johnny Damon's.